Archive for August 26, 2008

When I started reading this article about Mayor Glover voting against a pay raise for the local police, I was ready to agree with him, as the only thing that annoys me more than teachers whining about their salary is cops whining about their salary. Then I saw what the starting pay is at SPD: $33,000 – $35,000 a year.

That’s even less than what teachers make, and cops have a full time job. No one can support a family on that. Also, if money isn’t going to attract people to the job, that means other things will. For a small portion, the incentive will probably be a desire to be a do-gooder. For most, it will be carrying a badge, having a gun, and getting to drive as fast as they want. It could also be access to the evidence locker. None of those are good things. So for the sake of a professional police force, maybe we ought to find some more money.